AngelaHer mother's untimely death, a struggling marriage, a strained relationship with her sister, Rose, and regrets over what might have been haunt her. Despite being a wife and mother, she feels she has little to show for her life.RoseStill single, she longs for a husband and children. But Angela has all that and still isn't happy. Rose wants to be closer to her older sister, but she and Angela couldn't be more different. Both strong women, will their sibling rivalry ever end?* * *When a letter arrives from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Angela and Rose decide to visit Aunt Silvia, their mother's Mennonite sister, in the heart of Amish country. This vacation could provide the opportunity both sisters need to sort out their issues. And yet instead of finding a new way of connecting with each other, Angela and Rose discover surprising family secrets that add to their strife and threaten Rose's romance with a new beau.Through it all, the two sisters must find the faith necessary to face their personal problems and allow God to restore hope and healing to their hearts and relationship as only He can.

A Letter from Lancaster County by Kate Lloyd is the first in the Lancaster Discoveries series. I find the cover and the premise very attractive. As the author is a new author to me, I'm looking forward to turning the page in this novel since I enjoy Amish fiction. However, this is not fully Amish fiction as it revolves around the Englisch's lives that are set in an Amish setting. In that sense, many of us readers can relate to, like we're traveling through the setting, Lancaster County with the characters. And that's where things take a different turn.

A story of sibling rivalries and family secrets to unveil, I open A Letter from Lancaster County with great anticipation. Unfortunately, I cannot connect with any of the characters. Both Rose and Angela have their own issues, and as they come to light, I was hoping to find a redemptive quality in them, as well as a message for readers to grab hold to. Though reconciliation and the start of understanding appears, it comes off rather disjointed and late. Does it have anything to do with the dual narration from the sisters? Possibly. Despite that, I think the author penned a good novel that can relate to many readers, but just not for me. The lack of a strong faith element that one comes to expect of this genre surprised me. And I do hope to pick this book up again down the road, which might give me a different perspective.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.

Kate Lloyd is a bestselling novelist whose books include "A Portrait of Marguerite" and the Legacy of Lancaster trilogy. A native of Baltimore, she enjoys spending time with friends and family in rural Pennsylvania and is a member of the Lancaster County Mennonite Historical Society. She now resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband.Find out more about Kate at http://katelloyd.com.